Powdered Alcohol To Get Banned Before It Even Hits Retail?
Powdered alcohol might not even make it to retail before several states attempt to ban the sale of it. Palcohol is a drink mix which is advertised at 51 percent alcohol by weight, and regulators are not okay with it. It is considered equal to a shot of hard liquor, and that makes several states nervous.
The product had originally been approved, but then almost immediately had that approval denied, so it’s already had a rather disappointing history. Some states are prepared to put a stop to the sale of Palcohol if it ever gets approved.
Colorado, known for its stance on legalized marijuana, is one of those states which will not allow the sale of the product. Chris Johnson, executive director of the County Sheriffs of Colorado, explained it from a legal point of view according to the Consumerist.
“I think being proactive and jumping out in front of the problem is probably the right thing to do. It really doesn’t have any place in our society, powdered alcohol. We have enough problems with the liquid kind.”
Colorado joins other states which have or are willing to ban the sale of powdered alcohol before it has a chance to hit shelves, including Alaska, Delaware, Louisiana, South Carolina, Vermont, Minnesota, Ohio, and New York.
Chris Johnson added that he’s afraid kids will gain access of Palcohol and “sprinkle it on top of their Wheaties for breakfast.” His opinion joins those of several state regulators who believe the product will only make underage drinking and alcohol poisoning a larger problem than it already is.
Colorado considers pre-emptive ban on powdered alcohol http://t.co/93L2CgTLan via @guardian #Palcohol
— CPH Monitoring Team (@CPH_IMS) December 17, 2014
The inventor of Palcohol has marketed it as “an easy way to mix a drink on the go,” says Yahoo News. That statement alone raises other concerns such as adding the powdered alcohol to a small fountain drink and increasing the chance of drinking and driving. One dose of the product could possibly count as enough to make it illegal to operate a motor vehicle or other heavy machinery.
Other products exist already as an alternative, such as wine coolers in Capri Sun style pouches, or Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and are easier to access while “on the go,” so the question becomes more complicated: Will having Palcohol banned lead to other “convenience” drinks being removed from retail in those states as well?
The inventors of Palcohol say that the product will not be available until Spring 2015 at the earliest, with complications still existing with the labels necessary from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. With a few months left at least, there is no guarantee that other states won’t decide the product is a bad idea as well.
What do you think of the states planning a powdered alcohol ban? Will it affect you?
[Image via After Party Chat]
